The aim of this page is to try to gather all the informations which are available on the topic of linux power management features. There are several places where one can change power management settings:

Where To Change Power Settings

One can pass a kernel command line parameter in the boot loader to activate power management features in certain kernel modules. If you are using systemd you can change some power management options in systemd config files or execute your own config file. pm-utils and upower are working together. pm-utils is responsible for changing the power management options while upower informs pm-utils about system changes. For example if you unplug your laptop from AC upower will signal to pm-utils that the laptop is running on battery. This will cause pm-utils to change some power management options according to it's config files.

Have a look at the power management category to get an overview on what power management options exists in Archlinux: Category:Power management.

Kernel Command Line Parameters

Append the lines to your kernel command line parameter to enable these options. If you change settings for kernel modules make sure they are either compiled into your initrd (insert module name in MODULES in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf) or pass an option via a modprobe config file (Kernel_modules#Using_files_in_.2Fetc.2Fmodprobe.d.2F).

PCI-e ASPM

pcie_aspm=force

Disable NMI Watchdog

nmi_watchdog=0

Enable RC6 Power Save Options

i915_enable_rc6=#Nr

Where #Nr:

1: enable rc6

3: enable rc6 and deep rc6

5: enable rc6 and deepest rc6

7: enable rc6, deep and deepest rc6

Activate Power Save For Intel HD Audio

snd_hda_intel.power_save=1

Change Usbcore Autosuspend Time

usbcore.autosuspend=

Systemd Settings

pm-utils Settings

The pm-utils (see also: Pm-utils#Power_saving) package provides quirks for suspend to RAM and suspend to disk but also includes some scripts for power management. You need upower which registers power changes and signals that information to pm-utils.

Enable SATA Link Power Management

Execute the following command to enable SATA link power management when on battery: